SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 16
Descargar para leer sin conexión
St. Justin de Jacobis
Conquering hearts:
the art of dialogue
St. Justin did not head off to an
African country to preach the
Gospel to the pagans, but went
into an already Christian country
to unite the Christians of Africa
with the Christians of Rome.
A unique mission
Different from other
countries of Africa
St. Justin was dealing with a
country (Ethiopia) with a history
completely different from the
other countries of Africa:
• It had never experienced the
yoke of colonialism
• It was the continuation of the
Kingdom of Aksum, which in the
period of its greatest splendor
(c. 325) had accepted the new
religion of Christianity: for
centuries, the strongest reason
for Ethiopia’s national unity and
something that distinguishes its
people, who are of the
Christian-Orthodox faith, from
other Africans.
Ethiopia became an island
of Christianity, originally in
a sea of paganism and
now in that of Islam.
Political situation that
St. Justin faced
• A war with the southern
Moslem states lasted
from 1333 till 1577. A
bitter final campaign
was won by the
Christians of Ethiopia,
but with the deciding
influence of Portuguese
soldiers.
• The European missionaries
were expelled in 1632. After
this expulsion Ethiopia began
an isolation which would last
for centuries. They were hostile
generally against everything
European, but especially
against Catholics, who had
tried to replace their long
cultural tradition with the Latin
one.
• The period known as “the era
of the princes” started in the
late 1800s. The ras, the great
feudal lords of the Ethiopian
regions, began to affirm their
independence from the central
government, which was by now
a series of mere puppet
emperors. That was the
political situation when Justin
De Jacobis arrived in Ethiopia.
• Portuguese and Jesuit missionaries came
to Ethiopia to collect payment due for the
help the Portuguese soldiers had given.
This “payment” was to be the transfer of
the Ethiopian people from the Christian-
Orthodox faith to the Catholic faith.
Ecclesiastical situation
that St. Justin faced
• The situation in the Church was defined
by theological disputes about the
unction of Christ. This question
provoked many bloody encounters.
• Until 1974 the spiritual and
temporal power in Ethiopia, that
is Church and State, were
merged and so penetrated each
other that, as a result, there was
only one single moral entity. At
the time of St. Justin the
Emperor was forced, by the
circumstances at any given
moment, to proclaim the
Christology taught by one of the
three traditions as the official
religion of his kingdom, to the
clear disadvantage of the other
two. Not infrequently, following
the proclamation of the official
doctrine of the Ethiopian State
there came severe punishment,
including the death penalty,
against the principal exponents
of the other schools of theology.
• Ethiopia was divided into three distinct
traditions or schools of theology,
associated with regional monasteries.
An Ethiopian Bible
Dislike of Catholic
missionaries
Catholics involved in theological
dialectic had been labelled, by the
Ethiopian experts of the 17th
century, as “dissimulators”.
In fact, an important Ethiopian
theologian of the 15th century had
written “the malice of the wiles of
the [Catholics] is greater than the
amount of sand on the banks of the
River Ghion (the Blue Nile).”
Pope Gregory XVI
Pedro Páez Jaramillo (1564 – 1622), a
Spanish Jesuit missionary in Ethiopia.
What was St. Justin’s
secret to success?
It is a well known fact that Ethiopia has
always been very hostile towards
missionaries, so it is quite legitimate to
ask ourselves this question: Why was it
that Justin De Jacobis, an ordinary priest,
had such success as to earn the title of
“founder” of the Ethiopian Catholic Church
of the Alexandrian Rite, while both the
missionaries who were his predecessors
and those who were his contemporaries
failed totally?
Why other missionaries
to Ethiopia failed
The author’s personal opinion is that those others failed
spectacularly-- and continue failing, even today-- because they
have tried, and are still trying, to make the Ethiopian Christians
convert to Catholicism by:
• not entering into dialogue, but getting involved in useless and
sterile discussions, using Western methods of argument that
ignore the Ethiopian theological dialectic, which is not based on
rational reasoning but on repeated quoting from Scripture, each
opposing the other's quotations in support of his own thesis
• replacing Christianity of the Oriental tradition, which is the
Ethiopian form, with Western Christianity
• imposing the Latin Rite in place of the Ethiopian one, which is an
appropriate rite for the local culture
• forbidding or disrespecting local usages and customs, by
imposing Western ones
Why Justin succeeded
Justin De Jacobis, on the other hand, succeeded in
achieving marvelous results because, being a man of
simplicity, he understood well that:
• it was not possible to bring about unity among
Christians by means of theological debate, but only
by initiating religious dialogue which was frank and
open, and based, first of all, on respect for the other
• he was going to have to respect Christianity of the
Ethiopian (Oriental) tradition, as it was
• he was going to have to use the Ethiopian Rite
• he was going to have to follow usages and customs
of the country (apart from those which, in his opinion,
were clearly contrary to Gospel teaching)
St. Justin's art of
dialogue
• Justin De Jacobis, in his first talk or, as
the Ethiopians would say, his manfasawi
Cewewet (spiritual dialogue), which he
gave on 26 January 1840 in the Amharic
language to some clergy of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church, did not say “I am here
before you so that we can discuss the
theological problems which divide your
Church from that of Rome.”
• No, what he did say was “The mouth is the door to the heart. Speaking is the
heart's key. When I open my mouth I unlock the heart's door. When I speak to
you I hand you the key to [my] heart. Come in and see that the Holy Spirit has
planted in my heart […] a great love for the Ethiopian Christians.” We see,
that Justin speaks of his love for the Ethiopian Christians, love which the Holy
Spirit has caused to live in him. He avoids the usual theological discussions.
Things St. Justin said
to the Ethiopians
• That those who were there to listen to his talk were like
“his parents and friends”
• “I am a priest like yourselves; I am a confessor like
yourselves”. Justin, unlike his predecessors and some
of his influential contemporaries, said that he
considered the Ethiopian priests equal in dignity with
himself, and that for him their priesthood was valid.
• Justin once rounded off one of his talks by asking
whether in the four months he had spent in Ethiopia he
had ever done anything which might have caused
scandal, and by promising to be their friend and
servant.
• “I have come […] to tell you that the Christians of Rome
wish to join the Christians of Abyssinia, they want to
love them, they want to be their brothers.” Justin does
not speak of “conversion,” but rather of “union”.
And: “The Ethiopian liturgy, which came to birth in times of insurmountable
difficulties because of the continuous centuries-old wars in defense of the faith,
respected the strong characteristics and the deeply-felt religious convictions of its
people. It has remained unchanged for centuries, both in its structure and in its
language, and has never been revised, even in the post-conciliar liturgical renewal.
Because of this, by studying it we can discover the most authentic traditions of
Christian antiquity from the first centuries.”
- The Ordinary and Four Anaphoras of the Ethiopian Mass, published in Rome in 1969
The Latin Rite vs. the
Ethiopian Rite	
“The various oriental rites, among which is the
Ethiopian, although they differ from each other
and from the Latin in non-essential matters, have
several parts in common which indicate the same
liturgical origin: these are the offertory rites, the
liturgy of the word, with the proclamation of the
Creed at the centre, the Pater noster, the Preface
dialogue and the Sanctus, culminating in the
consecration, etc.” (The main differences were in
non-essential matters.) Ethiopian monk. Photo by Indrik Myneur
St. Justin and the
Ethiopian Rite	
• When Justin arrived in 1839 he began going to Ethiopian
Orthodox churches to pray, to be present at functions being
celebrated there, including the Eucharistic liturgy. This provoked
curiosity, interest and sympathy among the Orthodox clergy.
• He would start friendly chats about the faith, and understood
immediately that he did not have to teach the Ethiopians new
dogmas, new morality, new liturgy, but to promote union
between the Orthodox faith and the Catholic faith.
• With this aim in mind he engaged in dialogue with educated
people who could follow his line of argument, and he spoke
about Christian faith by starting from the Ethiopian books of
Sacred Scripture, which he knew well. In that way, with the help
of his new friends, he came to the conclusion that in the prayers
of the Ethiopian there was nothing displeasing to the Lord. He
therefore decided to allow his new disciples to continue their
own devotions, even after they had accepted the Catholic faith.
Admired even by his
enemies
In closing, here some comments made by those who opposed St. Justin, not
because of his behavior but because of his Catholic faith:
• Emperor Teodoro II, who wanted to unify Ethiopia under one crown and one faith,
the Orthodox faith, said about Justin: “If I had had Abuna Yaqob with me I would
have easily achieved success.”
• Abuna Salama III, a friend of the Protestants and definitely an enemy of Justin,
said: “Yaqob, sadeq naw hatiatun ayscescegem” (Jacobis is a good man, he does
not conceal his sins”).
• Orthodox people who met him first hand, but who did not become Catholics,
when speaking about Justin, said: “Haymanotu Kefu nat engi megbarus malkam
nat” (his faith is wrong, but his life is good).
• Ahmad Ara, the leader of the Moslems who escorted the body of St. Justin De
Jacobis for four days, going against the Islamic tradition of not carrying a
Christian body, said: “Yom tanasta dabra sedeq wameskayomu lanadayan
walaghefuan” (Today the mountain of truth has collapsed, the refuge of the poor
and the marginalized).
To sum up, Justin
conquered the
hearts of the
Ethiopians by his
authentically
Christian behavior.
Source: Justin de Jacobis: the Art of Dialogue
by Professor Yaqob Beyené

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

Donec Formetur Christus in Vobis
Donec Formetur Christus in VobisDonec Formetur Christus in Vobis
Donec Formetur Christus in VobisEdwardus Antonius
 
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo Alberione
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo AlberioneThe "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo Alberione
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo AlberioneNorman Pena
 
St. john m vianney (english)
St. john m vianney   (english)St. john m vianney   (english)
St. john m vianney (english)Martin M Flynn
 
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggiole
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggioleSaint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggiole
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggioleLeonard Guiang
 

La actualidad más candente (20)

St. Francis Regis Clet: "To the Extremes of Love"
St. Francis Regis Clet: "To the Extremes of Love"St. Francis Regis Clet: "To the Extremes of Love"
St. Francis Regis Clet: "To the Extremes of Love"
 
St. Vincent de Paul: Uniting Contemplation and Action
St. Vincent de Paul: Uniting Contemplation and ActionSt. Vincent de Paul: Uniting Contemplation and Action
St. Vincent de Paul: Uniting Contemplation and Action
 
St. Francis Regis Clet
St. Francis Regis CletSt. Francis Regis Clet
St. Francis Regis Clet
 
Blessed Ghebre-Michael
Blessed Ghebre-MichaelBlessed Ghebre-Michael
Blessed Ghebre-Michael
 
Donec Formetur Christus in Vobis
Donec Formetur Christus in VobisDonec Formetur Christus in Vobis
Donec Formetur Christus in Vobis
 
Blessed Ghebre-Michael
Blessed Ghebre-MichaelBlessed Ghebre-Michael
Blessed Ghebre-Michael
 
Blessed Ghèbre-Michael
Blessed Ghèbre-MichaelBlessed Ghèbre-Michael
Blessed Ghèbre-Michael
 
St. Justin de Jacobis and the Coptic Christians of Ethiopia
St. Justin de Jacobis and the Coptic Christians of EthiopiaSt. Justin de Jacobis and the Coptic Christians of Ethiopia
St. Justin de Jacobis and the Coptic Christians of Ethiopia
 
Saint Francis Regis Clet
Saint Francis Regis CletSaint Francis Regis Clet
Saint Francis Regis Clet
 
Blessed Ghebre Michael
Blessed Ghebre MichaelBlessed Ghebre Michael
Blessed Ghebre Michael
 
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo Alberione
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo AlberioneThe "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo Alberione
The "Tametsi Futura" for Blessed Giacomo Alberione
 
The Lay Spirituality of Frederic Ozanam
The Lay Spirituality of Frederic OzanamThe Lay Spirituality of Frederic Ozanam
The Lay Spirituality of Frederic Ozanam
 
Unit 2 - Reformation
Unit 2 - ReformationUnit 2 - Reformation
Unit 2 - Reformation
 
Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli, D.C.
Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli, D.C.Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli, D.C.
Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli, D.C.
 
Vincentian Pioneers in America
Vincentian Pioneers in America Vincentian Pioneers in America
Vincentian Pioneers in America
 
St. john m vianney (english)
St. john m vianney   (english)St. john m vianney   (english)
St. john m vianney (english)
 
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggiole
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggioleSaint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggiole
Saint anthony mary pucci was born in good christian parents at poggiole
 
Vincentian Family Worldwide
Vincentian Family WorldwideVincentian Family Worldwide
Vincentian Family Worldwide
 
Frederic Ozanam and His Experience of God
Frederic Ozanam and His Experience of GodFrederic Ozanam and His Experience of God
Frederic Ozanam and His Experience of God
 
Original Apostolates of the Congregation of the Mission
Original Apostolates of the Congregation of the MissionOriginal Apostolates of the Congregation of the Mission
Original Apostolates of the Congregation of the Mission
 

Similar a St. Justin De Jacobis: The Art of Dialogue

Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ? SHARING POWER IN THE...
Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ?  SHARING POWER IN THE...Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ?  SHARING POWER IN THE...
Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ? SHARING POWER IN THE...Ethio-Afric News en Views Media!!
 
7.39 importance of catholic church
7.39 importance of catholic church7.39 importance of catholic church
7.39 importance of catholic churchJean Provine
 
History Notes The Reformation and Counter Reformation
History Notes The Reformation and Counter ReformationHistory Notes The Reformation and Counter Reformation
History Notes The Reformation and Counter ReformationNoel Hogan
 
Exporting Anti-Gay Ideology
Exporting Anti-Gay IdeologyExporting Anti-Gay Ideology
Exporting Anti-Gay IdeologyMarisela Stone
 
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...Erin Perez
 
The Rise Of The Papacy Essay
The Rise Of The Papacy EssayThe Rise Of The Papacy Essay
The Rise Of The Papacy EssayAngela Williams
 
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western Europe
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western EuropeCompare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western Europe
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western EuropeTina Mclellan
 
Orthodox Christianity Research Paper
Orthodox Christianity Research PaperOrthodox Christianity Research Paper
Orthodox Christianity Research PaperJennifer Jones
 
4. religious reformation
4. religious reformation4. religious reformation
4. religious reformationaghalyaG1
 
Life Cycle Events In Greek Orthodoxy
Life Cycle Events In Greek OrthodoxyLife Cycle Events In Greek Orthodoxy
Life Cycle Events In Greek OrthodoxyJessica Robles
 
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...Melissa Jimenez
 
What Is The East-West Schism
What Is The East-West SchismWhat Is The East-West Schism
What Is The East-West SchismJessica Valentin
 
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research Paper
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research PaperChristianity Protestant Reformer Research Paper
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research PaperBrenda Higgins
 
The Role of the Medieval Church
The Role of the Medieval ChurchThe Role of the Medieval Church
The Role of the Medieval Churchmrsfitzss
 
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The Caliphates
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The CaliphatesImpact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The Caliphates
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The CaliphatesNina Vazquez
 

Similar a St. Justin De Jacobis: The Art of Dialogue (20)

A Bibliography on Christianity in Ethiopia
A Bibliography on Christianity in  EthiopiaA Bibliography on Christianity in  Ethiopia
A Bibliography on Christianity in Ethiopia
 
Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ? SHARING POWER IN THE...
Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ?  SHARING POWER IN THE...Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ?  SHARING POWER IN THE...
Workingpaper52WHY DID KING FASILÄDÄS KILL HIS BROTHER ? SHARING POWER IN THE...
 
7.39 importance of catholic church
7.39 importance of catholic church7.39 importance of catholic church
7.39 importance of catholic church
 
Asian church an overview
Asian church an overview Asian church an overview
Asian church an overview
 
History Notes The Reformation and Counter Reformation
History Notes The Reformation and Counter ReformationHistory Notes The Reformation and Counter Reformation
History Notes The Reformation and Counter Reformation
 
Exporting Anti-Gay Ideology
Exporting Anti-Gay IdeologyExporting Anti-Gay Ideology
Exporting Anti-Gay Ideology
 
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...
Historical And Theological Issues Surrounding The Catholic...
 
The Rise Of The Papacy Essay
The Rise Of The Papacy EssayThe Rise Of The Papacy Essay
The Rise Of The Papacy Essay
 
Presentation
PresentationPresentation
Presentation
 
Christianity and korean culture
Christianity and  korean cultureChristianity and  korean culture
Christianity and korean culture
 
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western Europe
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western EuropeCompare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western Europe
Compare And Contrast Byzantine Empire And Western Europe
 
Orthodox Christianity Research Paper
Orthodox Christianity Research PaperOrthodox Christianity Research Paper
Orthodox Christianity Research Paper
 
4. religious reformation
4. religious reformation4. religious reformation
4. religious reformation
 
Life Cycle Events In Greek Orthodoxy
Life Cycle Events In Greek OrthodoxyLife Cycle Events In Greek Orthodoxy
Life Cycle Events In Greek Orthodoxy
 
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...
The Nineteen Five Theses On The Power And Efficacy Of...
 
Byzantium
ByzantiumByzantium
Byzantium
 
What Is The East-West Schism
What Is The East-West SchismWhat Is The East-West Schism
What Is The East-West Schism
 
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research Paper
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research PaperChristianity Protestant Reformer Research Paper
Christianity Protestant Reformer Research Paper
 
The Role of the Medieval Church
The Role of the Medieval ChurchThe Role of the Medieval Church
The Role of the Medieval Church
 
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The Caliphates
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The CaliphatesImpact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The Caliphates
Impact Of Religion On The Byzantine And The Caliphates
 

Más de Famvin: the Worldwide Vincentian Family

Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicenciana
Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicencianaDos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicenciana
Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicencianaFamvin: the Worldwide Vincentian Family
 

Más de Famvin: the Worldwide Vincentian Family (20)

Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicenciana
Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicencianaDos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicenciana
Dos meditaciones cuaresmales cercanas al corazón de la tradición vicenciana
 
A los vicencianos en este tiempo de Cuaresma
A los vicencianos en este tiempo de CuaresmaA los vicencianos en este tiempo de Cuaresma
A los vicencianos en este tiempo de Cuaresma
 
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 4
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 4Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 4
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 4
 
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 3
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 3Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 3
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 3
 
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 2
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 2Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 2
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 2
 
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 1
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 1Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 1
Lettre de Carême 2024 Réflexion en groupe Partie 1
 
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 4
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 4Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 4
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 4
 
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 3 PT.pdf
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 3 PT.pdfCarta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 3 PT.pdf
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 3 PT.pdf
 
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 2
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 2Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 2
Carta da Quaresma 2024 Reflexão para grupos Parte 2
 
Reflexão para grupos sobre a carta de Quaresma 2024 Parte 1
Reflexão para grupos sobre a carta de Quaresma 2024 Parte 1Reflexão para grupos sobre a carta de Quaresma 2024 Parte 1
Reflexão para grupos sobre a carta de Quaresma 2024 Parte 1
 
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi Parte 4
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi Parte 4Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi Parte 4
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi Parte 4
 
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 3
Lettera di Quaresima 2024  Riflessione per gruppi 3Lettera di Quaresima 2024  Riflessione per gruppi 3
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 3
 
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 2
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 2Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 2
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 2
 
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 1
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 1Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 1
Lettera di Quaresima 2024 Riflessione per gruppi 1
 
Lenten Letter Group Reflection Part 4 of 4
Lenten Letter Group Reflection Part 4 of 4Lenten Letter Group Reflection Part 4 of 4
Lenten Letter Group Reflection Part 4 of 4
 
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 3
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 3Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 3
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 3
 
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 2
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 2Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 2
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 2
 
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 1
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 1Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 1
Lenten Letter 2024 Group Reflection Part 1
 
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 1
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 1Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 1
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 1
 
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 2
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 2Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 2
Carta de Cuaresma 2024 reflexion grupo 2
 

Último

The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...
The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...
The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...Cometan
 
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptx
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptxEaster Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptx
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptxStephen Palm
 
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear God
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear GodThe_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear God
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear GodNetwork Bible Fellowship
 
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINISERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINISantanu Das
 
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...Eizijesu Obahaiye
 
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24deerfootcoc
 
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]iqra tube
 
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidates
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidatesDP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidates
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidatesBengt & Maarit de Paulis
 
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short vers
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short versDP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short vers
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short versBengt & Maarit de Paulis
 
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...iqra tube
 
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptx
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptxOld Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptx
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptxInnovator Marbun
 
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdf
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdfFree eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdf
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdfOH TEIK BIN
 

Último (13)

The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...
The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...
The Mormon & Quaker Moons of Lancashire: Stories of Religious Conversion & Mi...
 
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptx
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptxEaster Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptx
Easter Apocalypse_Palm Sunday_Rev. 7.pptx
 
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear God
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear GodThe_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear God
The_Chronological_Life_of_Christ_Part_93_Fear God
 
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINISERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
SERPENT COIL: THE AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
 
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...
365 Days of Thanking God_ Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving Everyday (Revis...
 
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24
Deerfoot Church of Christ Bulletin 3 24 24
 
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
 
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidates
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidatesDP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidates
DP & Jesus Marriage - 2 potential candidates
 
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short vers
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short versDP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short vers
DP & Nostradamus-Fatima-Bailey-Branham-Ford - Short vers
 
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...
All About Zakah for Muslim Americans - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidance...
 
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptx
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptxOld Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptx
Old Age but fruitful and meaningful.pptx
 
English - The 1st Book of Adam and Eve.pdf
English - The 1st Book of Adam and Eve.pdfEnglish - The 1st Book of Adam and Eve.pdf
English - The 1st Book of Adam and Eve.pdf
 
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdf
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdfFree eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdf
Free eBook ~Short Inspirational Stories - The Benefits.pdf
 

St. Justin De Jacobis: The Art of Dialogue

  • 1. St. Justin de Jacobis Conquering hearts: the art of dialogue
  • 2. St. Justin did not head off to an African country to preach the Gospel to the pagans, but went into an already Christian country to unite the Christians of Africa with the Christians of Rome. A unique mission
  • 3. Different from other countries of Africa St. Justin was dealing with a country (Ethiopia) with a history completely different from the other countries of Africa: • It had never experienced the yoke of colonialism • It was the continuation of the Kingdom of Aksum, which in the period of its greatest splendor (c. 325) had accepted the new religion of Christianity: for centuries, the strongest reason for Ethiopia’s national unity and something that distinguishes its people, who are of the Christian-Orthodox faith, from other Africans. Ethiopia became an island of Christianity, originally in a sea of paganism and now in that of Islam.
  • 4. Political situation that St. Justin faced • A war with the southern Moslem states lasted from 1333 till 1577. A bitter final campaign was won by the Christians of Ethiopia, but with the deciding influence of Portuguese soldiers. • The European missionaries were expelled in 1632. After this expulsion Ethiopia began an isolation which would last for centuries. They were hostile generally against everything European, but especially against Catholics, who had tried to replace their long cultural tradition with the Latin one. • The period known as “the era of the princes” started in the late 1800s. The ras, the great feudal lords of the Ethiopian regions, began to affirm their independence from the central government, which was by now a series of mere puppet emperors. That was the political situation when Justin De Jacobis arrived in Ethiopia. • Portuguese and Jesuit missionaries came to Ethiopia to collect payment due for the help the Portuguese soldiers had given. This “payment” was to be the transfer of the Ethiopian people from the Christian- Orthodox faith to the Catholic faith.
  • 5. Ecclesiastical situation that St. Justin faced • The situation in the Church was defined by theological disputes about the unction of Christ. This question provoked many bloody encounters. • Until 1974 the spiritual and temporal power in Ethiopia, that is Church and State, were merged and so penetrated each other that, as a result, there was only one single moral entity. At the time of St. Justin the Emperor was forced, by the circumstances at any given moment, to proclaim the Christology taught by one of the three traditions as the official religion of his kingdom, to the clear disadvantage of the other two. Not infrequently, following the proclamation of the official doctrine of the Ethiopian State there came severe punishment, including the death penalty, against the principal exponents of the other schools of theology. • Ethiopia was divided into three distinct traditions or schools of theology, associated with regional monasteries. An Ethiopian Bible
  • 6. Dislike of Catholic missionaries Catholics involved in theological dialectic had been labelled, by the Ethiopian experts of the 17th century, as “dissimulators”. In fact, an important Ethiopian theologian of the 15th century had written “the malice of the wiles of the [Catholics] is greater than the amount of sand on the banks of the River Ghion (the Blue Nile).” Pope Gregory XVI Pedro Páez Jaramillo (1564 – 1622), a Spanish Jesuit missionary in Ethiopia.
  • 7. What was St. Justin’s secret to success? It is a well known fact that Ethiopia has always been very hostile towards missionaries, so it is quite legitimate to ask ourselves this question: Why was it that Justin De Jacobis, an ordinary priest, had such success as to earn the title of “founder” of the Ethiopian Catholic Church of the Alexandrian Rite, while both the missionaries who were his predecessors and those who were his contemporaries failed totally?
  • 8. Why other missionaries to Ethiopia failed The author’s personal opinion is that those others failed spectacularly-- and continue failing, even today-- because they have tried, and are still trying, to make the Ethiopian Christians convert to Catholicism by: • not entering into dialogue, but getting involved in useless and sterile discussions, using Western methods of argument that ignore the Ethiopian theological dialectic, which is not based on rational reasoning but on repeated quoting from Scripture, each opposing the other's quotations in support of his own thesis • replacing Christianity of the Oriental tradition, which is the Ethiopian form, with Western Christianity • imposing the Latin Rite in place of the Ethiopian one, which is an appropriate rite for the local culture • forbidding or disrespecting local usages and customs, by imposing Western ones
  • 9. Why Justin succeeded Justin De Jacobis, on the other hand, succeeded in achieving marvelous results because, being a man of simplicity, he understood well that: • it was not possible to bring about unity among Christians by means of theological debate, but only by initiating religious dialogue which was frank and open, and based, first of all, on respect for the other • he was going to have to respect Christianity of the Ethiopian (Oriental) tradition, as it was • he was going to have to use the Ethiopian Rite • he was going to have to follow usages and customs of the country (apart from those which, in his opinion, were clearly contrary to Gospel teaching)
  • 10. St. Justin's art of dialogue • Justin De Jacobis, in his first talk or, as the Ethiopians would say, his manfasawi Cewewet (spiritual dialogue), which he gave on 26 January 1840 in the Amharic language to some clergy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, did not say “I am here before you so that we can discuss the theological problems which divide your Church from that of Rome.” • No, what he did say was “The mouth is the door to the heart. Speaking is the heart's key. When I open my mouth I unlock the heart's door. When I speak to you I hand you the key to [my] heart. Come in and see that the Holy Spirit has planted in my heart […] a great love for the Ethiopian Christians.” We see, that Justin speaks of his love for the Ethiopian Christians, love which the Holy Spirit has caused to live in him. He avoids the usual theological discussions.
  • 11. Things St. Justin said to the Ethiopians • That those who were there to listen to his talk were like “his parents and friends” • “I am a priest like yourselves; I am a confessor like yourselves”. Justin, unlike his predecessors and some of his influential contemporaries, said that he considered the Ethiopian priests equal in dignity with himself, and that for him their priesthood was valid. • Justin once rounded off one of his talks by asking whether in the four months he had spent in Ethiopia he had ever done anything which might have caused scandal, and by promising to be their friend and servant. • “I have come […] to tell you that the Christians of Rome wish to join the Christians of Abyssinia, they want to love them, they want to be their brothers.” Justin does not speak of “conversion,” but rather of “union”.
  • 12. And: “The Ethiopian liturgy, which came to birth in times of insurmountable difficulties because of the continuous centuries-old wars in defense of the faith, respected the strong characteristics and the deeply-felt religious convictions of its people. It has remained unchanged for centuries, both in its structure and in its language, and has never been revised, even in the post-conciliar liturgical renewal. Because of this, by studying it we can discover the most authentic traditions of Christian antiquity from the first centuries.” - The Ordinary and Four Anaphoras of the Ethiopian Mass, published in Rome in 1969 The Latin Rite vs. the Ethiopian Rite “The various oriental rites, among which is the Ethiopian, although they differ from each other and from the Latin in non-essential matters, have several parts in common which indicate the same liturgical origin: these are the offertory rites, the liturgy of the word, with the proclamation of the Creed at the centre, the Pater noster, the Preface dialogue and the Sanctus, culminating in the consecration, etc.” (The main differences were in non-essential matters.) Ethiopian monk. Photo by Indrik Myneur
  • 13. St. Justin and the Ethiopian Rite • When Justin arrived in 1839 he began going to Ethiopian Orthodox churches to pray, to be present at functions being celebrated there, including the Eucharistic liturgy. This provoked curiosity, interest and sympathy among the Orthodox clergy. • He would start friendly chats about the faith, and understood immediately that he did not have to teach the Ethiopians new dogmas, new morality, new liturgy, but to promote union between the Orthodox faith and the Catholic faith. • With this aim in mind he engaged in dialogue with educated people who could follow his line of argument, and he spoke about Christian faith by starting from the Ethiopian books of Sacred Scripture, which he knew well. In that way, with the help of his new friends, he came to the conclusion that in the prayers of the Ethiopian there was nothing displeasing to the Lord. He therefore decided to allow his new disciples to continue their own devotions, even after they had accepted the Catholic faith.
  • 14. Admired even by his enemies In closing, here some comments made by those who opposed St. Justin, not because of his behavior but because of his Catholic faith: • Emperor Teodoro II, who wanted to unify Ethiopia under one crown and one faith, the Orthodox faith, said about Justin: “If I had had Abuna Yaqob with me I would have easily achieved success.” • Abuna Salama III, a friend of the Protestants and definitely an enemy of Justin, said: “Yaqob, sadeq naw hatiatun ayscescegem” (Jacobis is a good man, he does not conceal his sins”). • Orthodox people who met him first hand, but who did not become Catholics, when speaking about Justin, said: “Haymanotu Kefu nat engi megbarus malkam nat” (his faith is wrong, but his life is good). • Ahmad Ara, the leader of the Moslems who escorted the body of St. Justin De Jacobis for four days, going against the Islamic tradition of not carrying a Christian body, said: “Yom tanasta dabra sedeq wameskayomu lanadayan walaghefuan” (Today the mountain of truth has collapsed, the refuge of the poor and the marginalized).
  • 15. To sum up, Justin conquered the hearts of the Ethiopians by his authentically Christian behavior.
  • 16. Source: Justin de Jacobis: the Art of Dialogue by Professor Yaqob Beyené